Rush of blood to the head
by SkyeL4
Summary: Regina's end of year assignment is to capture a human. Too smug with her own success she is told to keep it alive in a castle full of vampires. The hardest part of her week isn't defending her prize from her classmates, but defending herself against the charms of a girl she was hoping to eat. -Oneshot vampire AU, it's pretty rough an ready cause I literally just wrote it today.


Night 1

Regina smiled with malicious delight at her prize. She had completed her assignment in record time. Captured an innocent alive, brought it back to the castle and not been seen by anyone but her examiners. It lay unconscious in an armchair, hidden from the rest of the class, but for an arm hanging over the side, which distracted the less disciplined students.

"Well done" Magister Herrick's voice echoed around the room, reverbing from the stone walls, to the high arched ceiling and back. She bowed her head, receiving the praise she had earned.

"No doubt you are pleased with your work" he said

"Yes, Magister" The skin around his mouth grew tight and she realised that had not been the right answer.

"Yes indeed" his voice trickled down her back like ice water.

She re-ran the evening in her head. She had been fast but not rushed. She was thorough but confidently so, not second-guessing herself. She was in the top of her class in agility, combat and caecus magic which had been the three things she needed. She had excelled.

"The second half of your assignment will not be so easy"

Her nose twitched as she thought that the first half hadn't been 'easy'. She managed to pass it off as an itch before she was punished for being insolent enough to question a Magister. Her back was rigid and her violet eyes downcast in respect. Herrick waited for a moment, then waved his hand and a scroll appeared on the desk.

"Read and sign, or abdicate this class"

She stepped up to the paper and read. It was a contract. As she scanned the script she realised it was a blood contract and her insides turned to stone.

"Read and sign" he repeated slowly, letting the enjoyment of her discomfort out in his tone "or abdicate this class"

She was a top student, academically gifted and generally tenacious but this challenge scared her. She picked up a quill and signed her name, her fingertips burning as she did. She dropped it and looked at the pale white arm hanging over the side of the chair.

"This will be the true test" Herrick said before dismissing the class. She stood at the front of the room unmoving, waiting for everyone to leave, some by walking and some by magic. She turned to the dark room and scanned the shadows.

"Oborio" she said, concentrating hard on the darkest corners.

"Obscuro" someone whispered quietly, or perhaps they just thought it too hard. In a split second she had thrown out a hand, clutched the air and dragged whatever it was out of the shadows. Her fingernails dug into her own palm as she squeezed. A boy fell choking into view.

"Rgnn" he coughed and she let go.

"Get. Out" she threatened.

He clutched his throat as he went "fuck you"

She threw her hand out at the door and it slammed closed, missing him by a hair's breadth.

She listened. There was no one else in the room. She breathed out and let her shoulders slump. "Fuck" she turned to the desk but the contract was gone. She nudged the chair. The innocent didn't move. She stood by it. It seemed to be sleeping. She could see the vein in its neck throbbing with fresh blood moving around its body. She swallowed the saliva that filled her mouth at the thought.

"Fuck" she said again as she waved her hands and took them both away.

Night 2

"Why aren't you scared of me?" she asked, watching it's eyes dart around her room again.

"Well, because you have to keep me alive" It said smugly.

"I could just keep you unconscious, drain some of your blood, keep you barely breathing" she could go on but it clearly still wasn't scared of her and she was just making herself hungry.

"You won't" it said with confidence that irked her. It was looking at her dressing table, the chest under the window, the door.

"How do you know that?"

"Well, you're looking at me like you really want to. I don't think you trust yourself enough to risk it. Definitely not enough to risk your life. Or. Not-life. Whatever."

"Existence?" Regina offered

"Sure, whatever you call it" There was quiet in the room for a moment. The innocent rubbed its eyes.

"How can you be tired? It's early" she asked, watching it's eyes linger of the single painting in her room.

"I'm not used to being up this late"

"It's barely midnight" Regina frowned

"Yeah, I'm usually asleep by now. I get up at six to get ready for work"

"Six in the morning?" Regina asked, her lip curling in distaste

"Yeah, like normal people who get up in the day and sleep at night" it yawned

Regina tisked "that's rude"

"Oh please, you're going to eat me" it stretched and it's stomach showed under its clothes.

"I don't know if I will" she contradicted haughtily "though I think I'll have earned it if this keeps up" She glanced at its neck again then away.

"Damn"

"What?"

"You do want to eat me"

"Yes?"

"It's just. That means something different to me than it does to you" Regina frowned in confusion "to me it's...something good. Especially coming from a girl that looks like you, I mean, god"

Regina looked at herself. She wore black trousers, a red corset style top and a black, high necked blazer. "What's wrong with how I look?"

"Nothing" It smiled and she looked back seriously

"Then why did you say 'god'?"

"It was a compliment" Regina's gaze burned into her. She didn't understand and she wasn't used to not understanding. "You haven't asked me my name"

"It never occurred to me" she dismissed

"It's Emma"

"Do you name your food?" she asked

"No, but I might not be your food. Do you think they'll set me free?" Emma asked hopefully

Regina smiled "No, your best case scenario is that they'll turn you"

Emma's smile died on her face "Oh"

"Would you rather be eaten?"

"You have to stop saying that"

"Why?"

"Because it means something else to me and I can't be scared while you're talking about it!"

"Why aren't you scared?" Regina asked moving to the edge of her bed, though it seemed more like a question to herself.

Emma looked up at her, back resting against the wall "I guess I've just met meaner bad guys than you"

Regina scanned her face looking for any sign of fear that she could. "Your pulse has increased and your pupils dilated"

"Um. Thanks for letting me know?" Emma said.

Regina moved off her bed to stand over her, hands on hips, observing her with morbid interest "but you don't smell of fear"

"Do I want to know what I smell like?" She asked. Regina's lip curled but the door opened before she could say whatever it was.

"Hey- whoa shit!" A tall boy with curly hair entered the room "Moma never tell you not to play with your food?"

"Do you want me to pass your feedback onto The Elders?" she asked and he stiffened.

"No, I just wondered if you were coming to class"

"I can't, I've been relegated to wrangling livestock" she waved a hand in Emma's direction.

Her instinct was to wave and embarrass Regina but when he looked at her with eyes dark and piercing, she knew he would rip her throat out in a moment if Regina wasn't there. She stayed still.

"So the rumours are true, you have to keep it alive for the week. That's why you're staying in" She nodded. "You wanna hang out later?" He asked.

Emma was looking him over as he looked at her again and smiled. He wore black as well, a long coat with intricate detailing. His teeth gleamed in the semi-darkness. Sharp and sparkling. A chill ran through her at the mortal reminder.

"I don't think so" Regina said, watching him too and glancing at Emma.

"Fine" he said and with that he left.

"Who was that?" Emma asked

"Don't worry about him"

"Aw, I didn't know you cared" she placed a hand over her heart.

"I don't I just don't want you stinking up my room anymore" She opened a thick book and ignored Emma for the rest of the night.

Night 3

"I really need some water" Emma complained, stretched out on the bed.

"I brought you water" Regina waved at the now empty glass on her bedside table.

"Yeah, yesterday. I need more, like pretty regularly or I'm not going to make it through the week. Also some food would be great or I'll probably only make it five days, not your target seven"

Regina's hands were on her hips. "Anything else?" she asked angrily

"I'd like a shower"

"And I'd like to have a pet free room again, but we can't all have what we want, can we?" The room seemed to darken with her rage.

Emma stomach rumbled audibly and she dropped her head to her knees. "Regina, please. Let's not both die because you're an ass"

If looks could kill Emma would be dead ten times over, but luckily for both of them they couldn't "Do not go anywhere" Regina hissed

"Yeah" Emma said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Regina had only been gone for a couple of minutes when Emma started exploring her room. The bookshelf was full but well organised. There were piles of books on the floor too. Regina seemed to be starting her own library. There were notebooks full of scribbles and drawings. Learning and art seemed to go hand in hand for her. Sometime Emma couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. Her dressing table was littered with small crystal bottles, mysterious pots and an ornate set of brushes. Emma picked one up to look at it. The handle wasn't cold to touch so it wasn't stone or ivory. She wondered if it was bone and put it down again.

Regina appeared in a puff of purple smoke "Ok, here's-" she turned to see her sitting at the table. "You moved"

"Yeah across the room"

"Don't touch my stuff"

"You mean like this stuff?" She reached out for the brush again

Regina growled.

"Ha! You do make noises like we think you do. Do you hiss when you bare your fangs at people?"

"Fangs?"

"You know, pointy teeth, used for draining people's blood" Emma stuck her teeth out and pointed her index fingers down on either side. Regina looked at her like she had lost her mind.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. Just come over here" She set a large jug of water down on the dresser along with a bundle wrapped in cloth. "Do you know how hard it is to find something you can eat in a castle where you are considered to be dinner?"

"Don't start talking about eating me again, please. I need a shower anyway"

Regina dropped gracefully onto her bed again and pretended not to watch Emma sit on the other and unwrap her meal.

"Oh my god" Emma said

"What?" she sat up with a jolt

"Thank you, I'm so hungry"

Regina looked at the food, then to Emma and back "Innocents are so weird" she sat back and propped up her book. She watched Emma over its brim as she tore bread into pieces and devoured them. She took a huge bite from an apple and groaned in enjoyment. Juice dribbled down her chin and she wiped it away, eyes closed so she could concentrate on her first food in days.

Regina couldn't take her eyes off her. She swallowed and lowered the book further. Emma's pulse had increased again, it seemed to be hammering in her ears. She watched as she gulped water thirstily and went back to the apple.

"Thank you so much" Emma said when she was done. She lay back on the bed, hand resting on her tummy which protruded a little more than it had earlier. Not that Regina noticed or would care if she did.

"You're welcome" she said without thinking.

Night 4

"This is a terrible idea" Regina said as she grabbed Emma's wrist. She was surprised by how warm she was, then felt her heartbeat against her fingertips and flung her away quickly. "Multas per gentes et multa" she muttered under her breath. Her eyes were closed and she turned her back on Emma.

"You ok?" Emma asked. She wanted to reach out and touch her in comfort but sensed it would be unwise.

"Mmhm" Regina said "per aequora vectus" she whispered and blew her breath out slowly through tight lips. "Let's just go. Stay close"

They left the room and headed down a quiet corridor. There were torches on the walls but it made the place no less grim. Regina scanned every shadow, doorway and arch, even looking at some portraits on the wall suspiciously until they reached the baths.

"Do you even need to bathe?" Emma whispered

"Shh" Regina checked around the corner and slid into a single bath room.

"Do you sweat?"

"Emma shut up and wash, quickly!"

"You said my name!"

Regina glared at her and pulled a lever that poured steaming water into a large stone basin that looked more like a coffin than a bath to Emma, though she said nothing. She looked pointedly at Regina.

"What is it now?" she asked

"You can't watch!" Emma whispered back

A rumble started in Regina's chest as she turned to watch the door instead, though she continued to watch the shadows too. Emma washed quickly feeling less excited and more freaked out by the second. Regina's anxiety was rubbing off on her and she wondered if this had been a good idea. She got out of the bath as she heard voices. She wrapped a towel around her before nudging Regina who was tense and ready for an intrusion. Who knew what would happen if an Elder walked in and decided their appetite was more important than Regina's continued existence? Emma grabbed her bundled clothes and took Regina's offered hand. They disappeared in puff of smoke as the door to the bath chamber creaked open.

"Fuck that was so scary" Emma sad on the bed in her towel.

"Yes" Regina said, pacing the floor just about as far away from her as she could get. "Can you hurry up and get dressed?"

"I am, Jesus!" Regina gasped and looked at her, then quickly away and began pacing again. "What is it? Surely I smell better now"

"You do" Regina conceded and hid her closed eyes with her hand "you do, you do, you do" she said quietly before she began whispering in latin again "ut te postremo donarem munere mortis et mutam nequiquam alloquerer cinerem…"

"Ok, I'm dressed"

Regina uncovered her eyes and looked pained "Emma"

"Yay! My name again. We could be friends by the end of this week you know"

"Please could you put more clothing on than that?"

"But that bath was boiling! I'm so hot!"

"I know and your pulse is still... just, please?"

"Fine! I'll get in the bed, is that ok?"

"Fine. Yes. Thank you" she continued to pace and mutter to herself for a while longer before she settled on the deep windowsill and looking out at the sky.

"What does 'eating someone' mean to you?" she asked after a long while. She turned, thinking Emma might be asleep but she wasn't. Her eyes were glazed with tiredness but watching Regina.

"Do you guys have sex?" Emma asked

Regina's eyes widened but she nodded.

"It means to go down on someone"

"To what?"

"It's oral sex"

Regina shook her head to indicate she still didn't understand. Emma wondered what the hell they called it if it wasn't any of those. Or maybe Regina just didn't know what that was. But then here she was in black lace, tight trousers and a long, sweeping cardigan that had Emma feeling too warm and uncomfortable.

"If I ate you I would use my mouth, my tongue to give you pleasure. Between your legs"

Regina's eyebrows rose slowly in comprehension. Her eyes stayed locked with Emma's for what felt like forever. She looked away at the night sky again. "What a strange thing to call it"

"What do you call it?"

"You would be a fellatrix. Well, in that scenario I would be"

"Well in that scenario, I'd hope you'd be one in return. You can't leave a girl hanging like that" Emma said cheekily.

Regina smiled but didn't look at her. She closed her eyes and let her head rest against the stone. "Quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum" she whispered, continuing the rest in her head.

Day 5

"Hey, Regina" Emma said quietly but urgently. Regina didn't stir. "Regina get up. Fucking wake up please!" She didn't move, too deep in her own sleep. Emma hesitated for a moment before she touched her arm "Regina wake up now!" she said louder and tugged her.

Regina's eyes flicked open at Emma. It sent a chill down her spine until she looked out of the window at the lightening sky. She slid from the sill quickly, knocking Emma out of the way and swung the long oak shutters closed. Heavy iron bolts fell into place, locking them, then she drew long black curtains.

"Are you ok? I just woke up, sorry I should have done something" Emma hovered

"It's fine" Regina said, running a hand through her hair. "Can you step back?"

"Yeah I just-" Emma touched her arm and she pushed her away. It was harder than she meant and much harder than Emma expected, she tripped backwards over the corner of Regina's bed and hit the floor hard.

"Shit, I'm sorry. Are you ok?" Regina stood over her. Her eyes were closed, her heart was still beating but her chest no longer rose and fell "Emma? Please don't be dead" she nudged her with her foot. The warmth of her skin invaded Regina's body like the cold of touching ice might invade Emma's. She shuddered and knelt by her side. "Hell. Please don't be dead, or bleeding"

"Or bleeding? What does that mean? What if I was on my period?"

Regina sat back against Emma's bed, knees up and let her face fall into her hands "I thought you were dead" she said behind her palms

"I know, I was just messing with you" Emma sat up to mirror her

"Why?" Regina demanded, dropping her hands, anger suddenly competing with her relief.

"Because you pushed me and I was only trying to help and it fucking hurt"

"If my heart beat, it would have stopped" Regina ran a hand through her hair again.

"Yeah cause if I'm dead you're dead, but I think I just saved your life, Morning Glory"

Regina frowned and looked at the now heavily blockaded window "Yes you did, if you forget that I don't have life, just existence"

They sat together in silence for a while and Emma rubbed the back of her head.

"Why did you do that? You could have let me burn and escaped through the window. It's not like anyone could have followed you. Sunrise is the worst."

"I kind of like the idea of you being in existence" Emma said with a smile.

Regina watched her seriously. "Could you put more clothes on?"

"I'm gonna get a complex" Emma said, standing up

"What do you mean?"

"You keep telling me to cover up, like I'm gross to look at. Or you tell me I stink" she laughed "which isn't as bad but it's not great"

"You're not gross, that's the problem" Regina said

Emma held out her hand to pull her up and she took it. Warmth spread through her like stretching an aching muscle, half relief and half pain. Their hands stayed together and she felt her heartbeat again. She stared at their joined fingers, desperate to pull away and desperate to sink her teeth into Emma's neck.

"That might be the nicest thing you've said to me" Emma smiled and she looked up. Her eyes were blue and sparkly at her own joke.

She could smell her skin, her blood, the life that pumped through her. Her eyes wandered to her neck and she watched her pulse beat. She closed her eyes and recited her poem "heu miser indigne frater adempte mihi"

Emma didn't move and she didn't make her. Their hands were still together, Emma's pulse was increasing and her scent was changing. Regina swallowed "nunc tamen interea…"

"Regina" Emma whispered

"...haec prisco quae more parentum…" she continued at a slightly higher pitch

"I really want to kiss you"

She ached, feeling hunger prowling in her chest mingled with something else just as dangerous "tradita sunt tristi…"

Emma kissed her cheek and she felt another rush of warmth. Her hands balled into fists, she crushed Emma's fingers between her own.

"tristi munere ad...ad...ad..." she couldn't remember. Emma's breath was on her neck, her hand slid around her waist and she couldn't think at all.

A noise like a rumbling purr came from deep in her chest as Emma's hand slid up her back, spreading heat she had never known. It overwhelmed her, breaths she didn't need to take came thick and fast. Emma touched her forehead to Regina's "tell me to stop and I will"

Regina heard her but she couldn't say it. When Emma's hands moved her body missed their warmth and her lips ached to take it back by draining the life from her. She could hear her blood, feel her life, taste Emma's longing. She opened her eyes briefly to see Emma biting her lip in restraint.

She kissed her hard, willing her teeth not to bite like they felt spring loaded to do. Emma kissed her back and pressed their bodies together. Regina gasped at the feeling. Emma was only wearing a long tshirt and underwear. Barely anything separated them. Barely anything kept the heat of her body away from her.

"Stop" Regina said, pushing her away though Emma leapt back as soon as she heard it anyway. Regina stood pressed against the wall, eyes closed again and breathing deliberately. Emma's heartbeat burned right through her. Emma sat on the bed and wiped her face. She stared at Regina, slightly disheveled and teeth bared. Sharp, white, terrifying teeth hidden most of the time by deep red rosebud lips. Lips that were just on hers.

"Stop" Regina said again

"I'm not doing anything" Emma said in a low voice

"You're thinking about it, about me, I can practically hear you"

Emma's mouth fell open "You can hear me?"

"It's not as simple as that, but that's the best way I can explain it right now"

"Oh right. Sorry I guess. I was just thinking about your lips and they are perfect and they were on mine and- shit, sorry, la la la" she tried not to think about the shape of her hips, the curve of her back, the threatening growl.

Suddenly Regina was on her again, moving faster than she could even believe. She was in her lap, holding her face, kissing her again. Emma's hands slid up her legs until Regina picked them up and pushed her easily back into the bed. Emma whimpered and Regina hesitated.

"Did I hurt you?"

"What? No. Kiss me"

And she did, keeping her hands to safe places like Emma's, her face, her sides. Emma tried to push her over but was easily pinned back down. She tried shifting her hips and though she could lift her easily, once Regina realised she was about to be rolled over, she pushed and Emma was immobilised again.

"Come on" Emma said between kisses. Regina recaptured her lips as if surprised Emma dared to break away. "Please" Emma asked

"Fine" Regina rolled over and Emma squealed in delight. Regina's eyes set on fire at the noise she made. Her hands found Emma's hips as she leant forwards to kiss her neck.

"Fuck" Regina let out feeling Emma's hot tongue against her cold skin.

"Can I bite you?" Emma asked

"What?" Regina asked and it was breathy like thinking was hard

"I won't like, turn into one of you?"

"I doubt your pretty, useless teeth could break my skin" Regina smiled

"You think I have pretty teeth?"

"Yes I think you have pretty ev- ah!" Emma bit and it seemed to do something to Regina. Whether it hurt or just contrasted nicely with the kisses, Emma didn't know but she was pleased. Regina's hips rolled underneath her and she heard the growl again. It ached between her legs and she hated all of their clothes. she reached up to kiss her and Regina devoured her lips and tongue like she had been starving and this was all she needed. Emma didn't think to be careful so when her tongue slid against one of Regina's sharp teeth she gasped and sat back holding her mouth.

"What?"

"Ow, I think I'm-

"Fuck" Regina pushed her off and she landed on her bed "Fuck" Regina wiped her mouth.

"Are you al-"

"No, no I'm not alright" She plastered a hand over her mouth, curled up as hard as she could and shut her eyes tight. The noises she made sounded like Emma was still against her, still letting her get some friction where she needed it. She moaned and sucked her breath in and Emma just watched feeling the throb between her legs grow.

Murder was on Regina's mind. Emma's blood was in her mouth, all she could smell and feel and think was of sucking it from her veins, Emma's body growing weaker in her arms, addicted to the taste the moment it reached her tongue. She got up from the bed quickly and in a haze.

"Where are you going?" Emma asked but she didn't answer. The door was open then closed and Regina was gone.

Night 5

"I'm sorry about this morning" Emma said when she woke. Regina was sitting in bed with a huge pile of books. Emma couldn't see her face. The lamp light cast an orange glow around the room. "I shouldn't have kissed you"

"I kissed you, you'll remember" Regina rumbled without looking up

"God, do I remember"

The book went down. "You have a filthy mouth"

"What?!"

"You say God and Christ and Jesus all the time. I know 'oh my god' falls out of your mouth with the frequency of breaths you take but I don't like it."

"Sorry" Emma mumbled

Regina frowned at her a moment longer and brought the book back up.

Emma watched Regina watch her eat another apple.

"Were you born this way or did it happen to you?"

"Excuse me?"

"You know. Being undead"

Regina scowled at the term "That's a very personal question"

"Is it?" She chomped into the apple again and watched Regina's lips part "Because I'm just trying to decide if it's the apple you want, or me"

"It's…" she began but Emma took a drink of water and she forgot what she was saying as Emma swallowed and her throat moved. Emma returned to the apple and made a show of taking a big bite. Regina swallowed and Emma hummed with satisfaction.

"Are you trying to get us both killed?" Regina asked

"Nope" Emma said, chomping now to see if it had any effect. It didn't seem to so she went back to taking normal sized bites. She licked the juice as it nearly dripped from the fruit and Regina shifted, burying her face in her book again.

"These are so tasty" Emma said "I could eat them for the rest of my life. And lucky me, I guess I will!"

Regina sighed and ignored her. Emma hummed again, putting the core in the bin under her bedside table and took another long drink of water. Her eyes were closed and Regina snuck another glance at her. "Fuck" she said

"Did you say something?"

"Not to you" Regina snapped and hid her face again "multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus" she murmured.

Night 6

Blue light filled the room, illuminating the stone on one side and casting long shadows across the other.

"What the hell is that?" Regina grumbled and pulled the blanket over her face.

"I just thought I'd try turning my phone on. It doesn't really work here. No signal or wifi, but that means the battery life is great. Can't play Candy Crush with no 3g though"

Regina was quiet. She had no idea what any of that meant. She was vaguely familiar with the concept of phones from other students in the castle who were termed "fresh meat".

"I hoped I could delete my facebook page. I don't want to be one of those people who die and people keep posting messages to them and it turns into mourn porn"

"Into what?!"

"Like, I don't know if you get to many funerals but they fucking suck. All they do is make you feel super shitty and there are professional mourners. How sick would you have to be to be one of them?"

"I don't think they do it for fun, I think they do it out of r-"

"And the fucking bullshit ceremony and symbolism and flowers that spell out MOM. I hate it"

Regina sensed this was a one sided conversation and left Emma to it. The blue light went off after a while.

"Can I get another bath before I die tomorrow? I'd like to be clean at least"

"After we almost died last time?"

"Can you die? Is that what it's called?" Regina was quiet again. Emma sighed audibly. "I think it's supposed to be sunny tomorrow" Regina ugh-ed without thinking "I'd like to go outside, or sit in the windowsill behind the curtains so you can sleep and I'll see the sun again. For the last time"

Something in Regina's chest ached. She didn't like the idea of Emma not being around anymore. She didn't like that they were on night 6 of 7. She really didn't like that she now cared what Emma thought enough to censor herself around her. Since she tasted her blood she closed herself right off, preferring to hide rather than be seen for who she was. Emma mostly stayed in bed. She read some of Regina's books despite being told not to touch anything.

"I can't believe you don't have Dracula" she had said

Regina had shrugged "It's modern"

She got up and moved to the window. Regina tensed but let her throw back the curtains, it was not light outside. She unbolted the latch and dragged the heavy shutters open one at a time.

Regina got up slowly and joined her. The sky was orange but the sun had dipped below the tree line. They were silhouetted against it beautifully. Emma's shoulder bumped hers and she looked up at her. The light reflecting in her eyes made Regina sad. She had a freckle on the side of her nose that she had never noticed. When she realised Regina was watching her, dimples appeared on her cheeks.

"You know, staring is rude"

Regina smiled "you're the rudest person I've ever met"

"Excuse me, you wanted to eat me"

"I still do" she said without thinking and Emma's eyes narrowed as a smile appeared on her lips.

Regina quirked an eyebrow, leaving her statement open to interpretation and left her by the window. Emma caught her hand and turned. Regina gasped at the feel of warm flesh against her and the rush of blood so close to her. She turned to face Emma, face lit by the dying light of the passing day.

Emma felt like her heart stopped. She had never seen her in natural light, only shadow where she was black and white and sometimes red with dangerous flashes of violet. In light she was much more. She looked real, she was definitely real. The black pyjamas she slept in were actually grey. Her lips were less red and more pink. Her hair was still messy from sleeping. Emma tugged her closer and she followed until they stood an inch apart, only connected by a hand.

"You wanna run away with me?" she asked

Regina looked down. If she was capable of it she would blush. "Yes"

"Want to make a plan? I'll start a shopping list. Number one, parasol" Regina looked up again and smiled "number two, back up parasol" her smile grew wider, her teeth appearing "number three, a fuck load of apples" Regina laughed and placed her hand on Emma's arm.

"Number four, proper pyjamas" she said, tugging the sleeve of the tshirt Emma had been sleeping in.

"What? No way, when it's just us I'm not wearing pyjamas"

"When has it ever not been just us?" Regina asked

"I mean, when our lives don't depend on you not killing me because I'm all hot and pink from having a bath-" Regina looked away, embarrassed "hey, come back" and she did "once we're out there there's nothing to stop you just drinking all my blood"

"Or you leaving me"

"Hey look, I don't have to take you in the first place, I have options"

"Oh you do?"

"Yeah like, alternatives include, staying here and possibly dying to be un-deaded again afterwards" Regina nodded accepting that that could be an option "Or you could finally fucking eat me like I've been thinking about for the last 6 days"

"Don't say that" Regina pushed her gently

"What?"

"I don't want to eat you"

"Oh" Emma looked away

"All I can think about is the way you smell-"

"I told you I needed a bath!" Emma interrupted but Regina continued as if she hadn't even heard her.

"-and the taste of your blood and the warmth of your skin against mine"

"Can you feel warmth?"

"Yes" Regina said with more longing than she had realised was in her.

"Can I kiss you again?" Emma asked

"I think you'll find that I kissed you"

"Then can you do it again?"

She did. She reached up and pressed her lips to Emma's. Her free hand slid into her hair, brushing her neck momentarily and she moaned with dissatisfaction at not tearing into her skin. Emma kissed her like her life was ending. She wrapped her arms around her tightly. Regina soaked up her warmth, hummed and writhed in it.

Emma pulled away when she needed to catch her breath. Regina let her hands roam around her. She touched her arms, waist, sides and chest. She let her fingers linger over her heart for a moment.

"You can have that" Emma said

"Have what?"

"My heart. My life is looking pretty short at the moment. Giving my heart to someone doesn't seem as scary as it once did"

"It's mine?" Regina asked, touching that spot on her chest again with wonder.

"Yeah, if you want it"

Regina stared for a moment, listening to the rush of blood and life around her body "I do. Can you look after it for me?"

"Yeah" Emma smiled and kissed her again.

They found their way back to a bed. Emma pulled away layers of Regina's clothes and kissed the skin she exposed. Their fun was punctuated with stops when Regina needed to take a moment to collect herself and put some distance between them.

Emma showed her what a fellatrix could do, though it earned her bruises and scrapes that Regina had to kiss better afterwards. She couldn't repay the favour, being too close major arteries that had her mouth watering, but she had other ideas about how to make Emma scream, and scream she did.

Night 7

"You have completed your end of year assignment, to capture an innocent and keep it here alive for one week. You have succeeded. Well done"

She kept her head bowed. Emma shivered nearby under the gaze of the Council.

"No doubt you will have learned that this is not a test of your strength against the inhabitants of this castle, but against yourself, your nature and weaknesses"

She didn't move.

"An impressive display, you have done well" Herrick turned to someone in a hooded robe "take it away"

"Magister" Regina interrupted. He turned to her and she felt the cold of his glare permeate her bones "I have a request"

"Go on" he said, morbid curiosity in his voice.

"I lay claim to the innocent" her classmates gasped. She kept her head down. She saw Herrick turn to the Elders in the periphery of her vision.

"Look up, child" her mother's voice filled the chamber. She did as she was told. "It takes much to claim an innocent. No student here has ever done so successfully. There is no precedent for a student to keep a thrall and we have no desire to set one. If you are successful you will end your time here. If you are not, the price for your pride will be dear. Do you wish to continue?"

"If you will allow it" she answered.

"No" she heard Emma think

The Magister appeared in front of her with a silver cross that dangled from a chain. She couldn't look directly at it. She felt its presence like a thorn in her side. He held out his hand for hers and held the cross over it.

"You have laid claim to an innocent, to do so insincerely is a crime against our laws. You will be asked three questions, if you are found to be at fault you will be returned to the darkness from whence you came. You were the one to take the innocent from its home, is this correct?"

"Yes, Magister" she replied. Emma's pulse was hammering in her ears again, she couldn't think straight.

"Do you control it?"

"I own it's heart, Magister" there was a rustle of murmurs from the room around her

"And finally" The silver cross over her hand stung the skin it wasn't even touching. "Have you drunk of its blood?"

She had, she had and she had thought of little else ever since. She felt her mother's gaze leave her.

"I have, Magister" She looked up as her mother's attention snapped back to her, then to Emma and back to her. The magister laid the cross down in her hand and nothing happened. For a moment his mask of composure slipped and he stared at her disbelieving. It throbbed on her skin but didn't burn. He whipped the cross away.

"Tu huius instituti vinculis absolutum" he said. He continued speaking but she barely listened. When he signalled she could leave she bowed to the elders, grabbed Emma's hand and dragged her from the council chamber. As soon as they were out of the door she whipped them into her room in a puff of smoke.

"What the hell just happened?" Emma asked "I think I wet myself"

"We're leaving" Regina waved her hands and her belongings disappeared into the trunk.

"Leaving? To where?"

"I don't know, I haven't thought that far ahead"

"Did you think at all?"

"Not really"

"Did you know what they would ask?"

"No"

"You are out of your fucking mind" Emma said and Regina stopped moving for the first time. She turned back to her.

"It's just a formality. It means they can't touch you. You're free to go if you don't want to be, you know…"

"Yours?"

"Yes" Regina folded her hands and waited for Emma's reply. Her eyes were on the floor but Emma read everything into them. Sudden fear and regret and they were literally almost the death of each other.

She swept her into her arms and spun her around "Aaah I'm gonna eat so many fucking apples just to watch you enjoy it and we can stay up late and you can teach me about the stars because I've seen that fuck-off astronomy book you've got under your bed and I know you were upset you couldn't go down on me in case you lost your mind and drank all my blood but we can totally work on that"

Regina hugged her hard, probably much too hard but for a moment that was all she could do "you're going to get yourself killed, you idiot"

"Yeah well, I'm your idiot"


End file.
